I Am With You
by UzuSphere
Summary: It seemed at first like she was any ordinary villager of Konoha. But she held secrets. Her eventual actions would perhaps create ripples within the timeline. Or maybe not. Who knows? This was simply her story. Fem!Takashi (The cover is not mine.)
1. beginning

_**I Am With You**_

 **(Naruto x Natsume Yuujinchou Crossover)**

* * *

 **Warnings: Fem!Takashi, Not-Reincarnated!Takashi, probable OOCness**

* * *

 _Ever since I was small, I have sometimes seen strange things._

 _As others cannot see them, they are most likely what you would call **ayakashi**._

* * *

Unlike her alternate counterpart, _Natsume Takashi_ was born a girl and given the name _Takara_ instead which meant "jewel". Another difference was that she was treated in high regard by other _ayakashi_ due to her kind and pleasant personality towards them. She never feared their appearance and their presence because she understood what it was like to be ignored and isolated by others.

It could be sympathy at the very least but Takara knew it was something more.

Of course there were some ayakashi who felt threatened by her and wished to kill her or eat her or even maybe take the _Yuujinchou_ from her. It did not hurt that she had a powerful _inugami_ spirit as her bodyguard, together with some other powerful ayakashi that she had befriended, to help keep them away.

* * *

 **ooo**

* * *

Natsume Takara was born on the eighth day of April, the start of the season when _sakura_ would bloom. She was born with her grandmother's caramel brown colored hair and golden colored eyes. Her chakra reserves, as to be expected, were similarly average to what a civilian-born baby would have, the only difference being that she had quite a large amount of spiritual energy.

It was because of that certain fact that she had gained the ability to see ayakashi.

She was only three years old when she had finally managed to talk to an ayakashi. There were several times she had pointed out to the odd but unique creatures yet they only told her she was seeing things. She didn't want to be labeled as a liar!

It was only a given that when she pointed this out again to her foster parents (her biological parents having died early when she was born due to an unlucky fate), they thought that she had simply been seeing things and told her once again. She rebuffed them when they had done so and ran to the follow the blue-winged ayakashi she had seen, into the forest.

When he finally stopped, she was left tired and panting, but she would not give up! So she called out to him.

"Hey! Why do you have wings?" She asked.

He turned around and looked around, his eyes eventually landing on her tired but still-standing form. "Are you talking to me?" He asked with a slight tilt to his head. She beamed and immediately nodded.

"Yeah! So, why do you have wings?" She repeated her question.

"It is because I was born this way." He answered as he flew down in front of her. She gasped loudly as soon as he landed and looked in awe upon his appearance. "Pretty..." She murmured.

"Oh my. Thank you for the compliment." His long and slender fingers reached down to grasp her head, gently ruffling her hair. "It has been a long time since I heard a human compliment on my appearance." He told her with a gentle smile on his face.

"Long time...?" She echoed. "Why...long time?" She struggled with her limited vocabulary. She wasn't sure what to say but it seemed that the ayakashi had understood what she was trying to ask.

"You see, little human, I am not a human." His ruffling on her hair stopped. "I am actually an ayakashi, a being that cannot be seen by humans. That is why it has been a long time since I have been talked, much less complimented to, by a human. "

"Why...can I...see you...then?" She was picking her words carefully in order to form a proper sentence.

"You are not an ordinary _ningen_ , it seems that you have more spiritual energy than the norm." He explained. "That is probably why you can see me."

"Okay..."

He let go of her hair and stood up.

She panicked.

He was about to take flight, thinking he was done with the human child, when he felt the cloth of his white _yukata_ being pulled back. He looked down to see the human child pulling on the edges. She looked up to him with her begging golden orbs. They looked teary as if she was about to cry. "W-wait! W-what's your name? I wanna know more about ayakashi!" She cried out.

His heart softened and he had her let go as he bent down to her level. "My name is Riou, I am the guardian of this forest." He said as he introduced himself. "What is your name, child of man?" He asked her.

"Takara. Natsume Takara."

A gentle smile graced his lips as he looked at her. "Then it's a pleasure to meet you, Takara-chan."

* * *

 **ooo**

* * *

A year passed, Takara was now four years old. She had grown closer with both Riou- _sama_ and the rest of the ayakashi that lived within his forest. Yes, she often visited them within the forest but that would change now. Her foster parents were getting fed up with her claiming to be able to see ayakashi and decided to send her to her other relatives.

Konoha.

It was very far from where she currently lived.

Her heart clenched in fear and sadness. She did not want to leave them, her precious family. When she told them that she was moving, the rest of the ayakashi cried out in outrage. They did not wish to see their favorite human to leave. Riou-sama told them to to quiet down and they did.

"I-I'm planning on running away! I-I'll live here with you guys!" She suddenly burst out.

The blue-winged ayakashi sighed and then patted her head. "Takara-chan...please don't do that." He said.

"Why?!"

"It would do no good." He answered.

"Why not? Why won't it do any good?!"

"A sudden disappearance...rumours would start and people might begin searching. I do not wish for trouble to befall on any of us."

Takara began to cry. She knew and understood it was futile even if she wanted to do it anyway. But it did not hurt to tell them at least, Riou-sama always knew what to say.

She backed down as soon as her tears began to dry. "O-okay...I'll be going now..." She muttered before running away.

"Wait! Takara-chan!" He called out but it was too late, she was already gone.

* * *

It was Takara's last night in her village. Tomorrow at dawn would be the time she would be leaving the village together with the caravan. She felt alone more than ever while wishing at the same time that there was some way to remedy this situation. She did not dare to return to forest in fear of seeing her ayakashi friends again. Yet at the same time, she wished she had said goodbye to them at the very least.

* * *

 _This is it,_ she thought. _I am finally leaving this village._

The village merchant's caravan began to move.

She was seated right beside one of the drivers with her average-sized pack in front of her and on her knees. She looked at the scenery sadly and then her eyes widened for a moment.

 _It couldn't be -_

"OOIII! NAATSUUMEE!" An old man's voice called out to her in particular.

She squinted her eyes a bit and saw the familiar pudgy-sized _maneki neko_ running straight towards her. It looked quite comical actually and she started to giggle softly as she watched. Once he was near, she opened her arms to catch him as he leapt up towards her, startling the driver who sat beside her.

"What on earth - ?" The driver muttered hysterically.

"Nyanko-sensei! What are you doing here?" She asked the fat cat in her arms. He was huffing and puffing loudly, looking very tired as he shut his eyes to rest.

An eye opened.

"Look at the trees." He said before falling asleep in her arms.

And she did so.

Much to her surprise, she found several other of her ayakashi friends waving at her goodbye. She beamed once she was Riou-sama amidst the crowd. He was her very first friend. Benio- _san_ and Hinoe-san were also there. Together with some of the middle-class ayakashi.

She waved back in happiness and shouted goodbye, not caring what the driver thought of her shouting at nothing. She stopped once they were out of sight and quietened down. Her face showed that she was in bliss and contentment.

She would not forget them.

* * *

 **ooo**

* * *

 _Konohagakure no Sato._

The main and central village of _Hi no Kuni._ It was the most dominant village in terms of military power within the Land of Fire.

Takara looked upon the large entrance gates of the village in awe.

This was the start of her story.


	2. new home

_**I Am With You**_

 **(Naruto x Natsume Yuujinchou Crossover)**

* * *

 **Warnings: Fem!Takashi, Not-Reincarnated!Takashi, probable OOCness**

* * *

 _Ever since I was small, I have sometimes seen strange things._

 _As others cannot see them, they are most likely what you would call **ayakashi**._

* * *

"Here. This is your room." The old lady muttered coldly as she slid open the door for Takara. It was a simple room but Takara herself thought that she was very blessed to have this room. It was bigger compared to the one in the village where she had to share with her cousin _Miyako_. Nyanko-sensei finally woke up and jumped off from her arms, landing gently onto the tatami mat.

"Takara." The old lady - no, _Kimiko_ called out.

She turned around to face her and then bowed before the old lady could say anything else. "Um...thank you for having me! I'll do my best not to hinder you!" She said rather gratefully.

"Alright, alright. You're welcome." Kimiko-san said, her voice softening. "Anyway, I have some rules for you," she handed a piece of paper to her. "so I'm expecting you to follow them properly. I expect no problem at all, _alright?_ " She stressed out the last part and the little girl nodded fearfully.

"Yes, Kimiko-san."

"Good. Then I'll be seeing you for dinner." The old lady huffed as she turned on her heel, this time heading back to the first floor where her small restaurant was located.

The place where Takara lived in now was a three-storey wooden building. The first two lower floors was where Kimiko-san's restaurant business was held. It worked primarily as a _dango_ shop but there were also other sweets that were sold such as _anmitsu, daifuku, kuzumochi_ and several others. It was a very popular shop for both civilian and shinobi alike.

The last and uppermost floor was where both she and Kimiko-san lived. There were four rooms in all; one master bedroom and one guest room - which was now hers, a single bathroom and one laundry room. It was quite modest but still very traditional.

Takara sighed deeply as she laid down onto the bare floor. She took the piece of paper given to her and read it.

 _._

 _Things to Remember:_

 _1\. Don't get into trouble_

 _2\. Get up around 5 A.M. every morning_

 _3\. Help around the shop_

 _4\. Do your chores_

 _5\. Be in bed before seven in the evening_

 _Additional note: Don't forget to ask for permission before leaving the shop not unless asked to do so._

.

"Oi, Natsume, get up." Her cat spoke as he walked over to her. "Natsu _hmwefruru..._ " He was suddenly cut off as soon as she grabbed him in order to hug him for comfort. She curled up into a ball as she petted his soft fur.

"Nyanko-sensei..." She murmured sadly to the fat cat. "I already miss them."

As for the fat cat in her arms, he was close to fainting due to their close proximity. He was trying to get her attention as he continuously slapped her arm to let go but it proved futile. As his last resort, he dropped his maneki neko form and reverted to his original form.

She let go, startled by his new appearance. "Madara-san?" She asked in a puzzled tone. "Why did you become big again?"

"You were choking me, you brat!" He growled in annoyance as he returned back to his pudgy cat form.

She sniffled. "I'm sorry, Nyanko-sensei." Tears began to form in the corner of her eyes. "I just wanted to hug you for some comfort." She seemed very close to crying.

Madara himself was beginning to regret making her cry so he tried to comfort her - _awkwardly._ "Oi, oi, oi. Don't begin crying on me, brat. What would that blue-winged guy say if he saw you crying?"

"He would say," she sniffed. "not to cry."

"Good. So don't."

"Okay."

* * *

 **ooo**

* * *

It had already been three months since Takara's move, she was adjusting quite well to Konoha and its inhabitants - especially to the ayakashi that roamed the streets and the forests of the village. There were some attacks to her person due to being dubbed "delicious" to by other dangerous ayakashi but she remained unharmed because of Nyanko-sensei's interference.

It was another day of exploring the vast forests of Konoha. This time, she was riding on top of Nyanko-sensei's beast form as they traipsed over the trees, eventually coming across a tall and steep cliff.

"Wow, that _is_ pretty tall." She murmured in amazement.

"Tch. Of course it is, brat." Madara muttered, not seeing how amazing it was.

"Do you think you could climb it without me falling off your back?" She pondered out loud.

"Hm." His long and slender but very furry neck looked up. "Perhaps."

She beamed. "Let's try it one time!" She said excitedly.

There was a pause before she heard the giant beast speak again.

"Oi, Natsume."

"Hm?"

"There's a kid falling off from the cliff."

"Oh, okay - wait, what?!" She immediately looked up and indeed she saw someone falling from the cliff. It looked like a kid her age.

"Aah! Why is he falling?"

"Don't ask me, brat. I have no idea."

There was a sudden loud crow. They looked to find a flock of crows flying at the side. There was another sound of rocks crumbling so their attention returned to the kid who was free-falling to his death.

Takara narrowed her eyes to see the figure trying to slow down his descent using those ninja tools that she often saw other _shinobi_ use. It didn't seem like it was working at first and she was prepared to have the inugami save him. But at the last moment, his _kunai_ finally had a grip on the cliff as he descended. She sighed in relief.

* * *

Uchiha Itachi was about to sigh in relief himself once he saw that he was nearing the ground. However, much to his surprise, he found two unexpected things - a child his age and a giant furry beast. But because of that, he lost his grip on both kunai.

He was officially doomed to die.

* * *

"Madara-san!" Takara cried out in alarm.

"Already on it." And together they bounded upwards in order to save the falling boy.

* * *

Itachi had shut his eyes in fear. He did not notice the beast curling around him as they attempted to save him. He only felt soft fur surrounding his back. Slowly, he felt himself descend.

 _Did he finally die? Not noticing the end?_

"Are you alright?" A feminine voice interrupted his thoughts.

His eyes quickly slammed open, only to find himself staring into a pair of gentle golden eyes. She was undeniably pretty - like his mother. He sat upright and found himself surrounded by nothing but white fur.

"Where am I?" He asked.

"We're on the ground after Madara-san managed to catch you mid-fall." She answered him.

 _Madara? The name sounds familiar..._

"So I'm still alive?"

"Yes." She nodded happily.

There was another loud crow, the one he remembered snapping him out of his trance. He lifted his arm as the black crow landed on it. He looked deeply into its black beady eyes. "No one wants to die, right?" He muttered under his breath.

He felt a rumbling sound around him. "Of course not, you foolish brat." An old man's voice quickly pulled him out of his thoughts.

"Huh - ?"

And then they were quickly surrounded by a flock of crows.

"Argh!" There was a loud grunt and then a poof of smoke. He felt himself fall back to the ground just as the crow on his arm took flight.

"Stupid birds." The same old voice muttered in annoyance.

"Don't be angry, Nyanko-sensei. I have a feeling they meant no harm." The girl said in a soothing tone.

"Feeling, my ass! I don't believe you, brat!"

The smoke cleared to reveal only the two of them. His attention turned towards the girl - and the fat cat in her arms. "Who are you?" He asked.

"My name's Natsume Takara and this in my arms is Nyanko-sensei!" She smiled. "What's yours?"

"Uchiha Itachi."

* * *

Madara glowered at the boy from his comfy spot within Takara's arms.

"Boy, don't kill yourself next time." He said out loud, directing this to the boy who nearly got himself killed.

The boy's onyx colored eyes widened a bit but he was not too surprised. He moved closer to take a look at him. "Are you a summon?" The boy asked in curiosity.

"Ah, no." Takara interrupted. "He's an ayakashi."

"Ayakashi?"

The male brat sighed as he retreated back to his spot. He looked up to the sky. "What is life anyway?"

Madara decided to answer him.

"For humans, they consider it as something short but precious. As for ayakashi, we consider ours as something long and boring. We are nearly immortal anyway. Life for a human is short, kid. Don't waste it." He said before jumping off his precious human's arms. "Come along now, Natsume."

"Yes, Nyanko-sensei."

It would give the kid something to think about.


	3. inner musings

_**I Am With You**_

 **(Naruto x Natsume Yuujinchou Crossover)**

* * *

 **Warnings: Fem!Takashi, Not-Reincarnated!Takashi, probable OOCness**

* * *

 _Ever since I was small, I have sometimes seen strange things._

 _As others cannot see them, they are most likely what you would call **ayakashi**._

* * *

" _Natsume-sama! Natsume-sama!_ " The ayakashi chanted her name excitedly as they walked beside her.

Takara simply smiled, nodding in acknowledgement but said nothing otherwise. Nyanko-sensei, her beloved mentor, grumbled in annoyance and simply closed his eyes in order to ignore them.

She was in the middle of buying groceries when she came across the same boy who had fallen from the cliff a few weeks ago.

 _What was his name again?_

As soon as she spotted the uchiwa fan stitched to the back of his shirt, she remembered his name.

 _Uchiha...Uchiha Itachi?_

He wasn't alone though, it seemed that he was shopping together with an older woman - probably his mother. She didn't notice how long she had been blatantly staring at them until they started walking towards what looked to be at her direction.

"Natsume-san?"

"Ara? Is she someone you know, Itachi-kun?" The woman asked.

"Hai, okaa-san." He answered politely.

Takara blinked, her eyes widening in surprise upon noticing them in front of her. She flushed a deep red, shame filling her senses for staring at them so shamelessly. She bowed at once in apology, forgetting that Nyanko-sensei was still in her arms as she did so.

Nyanko-sensei softlly growled in warning.

"I-I'm sorry! I didn't mean to stare!" She said immediately.

"Fufu, it's fine, dear."

Upon seeing the beautiful woman on a closer look, it was now a bit more obvious that she was Uchiha Itachi's mother.

"You're very pretty." The words came out in an absent-minded daze before she could stop herself.

"Oh my, thank you for the compliment." She smiled before addressing her son.

"I like her already. Why don't you introduce her to me, Itachi-kun?"

"Um...Okaa-san, this is Natsume Takara, my..." He trailed off uncertainly.

" - friend!" Takara immediately supplied with a bright grin on her face.

* * *

Uchiha Mikoto carefully observed the little girl in front of her.

She was undoubtedly a civilian by the way she moved, but, there was definitely something about her.

(She would bet that there was also something about that pig-looking cat in her arms as well.)

Something in her aura.

She didn't know what but she would definitely find out.

There were not man people who could claim to be her son's friend. (He wasn't quite the most sociable and the only friend he had that she knew of was his cousin, Shisui.)

It didn't hurt that the girl was pretty as well.

"Takara-chan, why don't you come over to the compound once in a while to hang out with Itachi-kun? I'm sure he would appreciate the company." She spoke up with a bright smile.

Takara-chan was obviously flustered and wanted to decline since she wasn't sure what to make of it. However, in the end, she reluctantly agreed with a shy smile.

Mikoto beamed.

She was just so adorable!

* * *

 **ooo**

* * *

Takara was absent-mindedly flipping through the pages of her grandmother's _yuujinchou_ (book of friends) as Madara (in his original form) discreetly watched her from the side. The ayakashi - another low-leveled one - patiently awaited for her to find its name but was beginning to show signs of impatience with its incessant moving.

"Oi, Natsume." He called out to her.

She blinked, looking at him with more clarity than before.

"Focus," was all he said to get her head back into work.

She nodded, closing her eyes and then focused.

 _"You who protects me, show your name."_

The book eventually started flipping pages by itself until one page with the certain ayakashi's name stood up.

She ripped it from its bindings from the and then placed it in her mouth before clapping her hands together. With a large exhale of breath, the written characters on the page drifted outwards and returned to its rightful owner.

"Thank you," the ayakashi said before leaving.

It was then Takara collapsed to the ground, her energy leaving her.

"So weak, it only takes a single name to make you collapse, huh?" He told her condescendingly.

She simply giggled and turned on her back. Staring at the great expanse of the sky, she closed her eyes and began to imagine.

"I'm still kind of small, Madara-san. Not to worry, I'm sure that when I get bigger, I won't have that problem anymore." She told him.

"Hmph. I'll believe it when I see it, brat."

"Hehe..."

There was a pause before she spoke up again.

"Ne, Madara-san."

"What is it?"

"Do you think Itachi-kun will be my friend?"

An eye snapped open as he stared at her unmoving form on the grass.

"Didn't you already announce it to his mother when we were at the market, brat? What more do you have to think of?"

She rolled onto her stomach, her pair of golden colored orbs staring into his own. A pout formed on her lips. "But I just said it! I didn't even ask him first! What if he thinks I'm too assuming for saying that without asking him first?"

He snapped, a white furry paw appearing on top of her to pin her down.

"Stop worrying already! I don't need to hear such things since you've already done and said it. If he didn't think so in the first place, I'm sure he would have immediately protested. Now stop talking and let me get some sleep!"

" _Haaii~_ " She reluctantly agreed in the end.

* * *

 **ooo**

* * *

"State your name and your business." The guards at the Uchiha compound immediately spoke as soon as she was in front of the gate.

"Umm...my name is Natsume Takara and Mikoto-san told me that I could visit." She replied timidly.

"Natsume Takara, hm?" The one at the right muttered curiously as he looked her over with the pig cat in her arms.

"Very well then, enter."

"T-Thank you very much!"

She was about to take a step forward when she realized something. Looking hesitantly at the guard, he raised an eyebrow to her actions.

"What is it, little girl?"

"I-I'm afraid I don't know where her house is. Could you please tell me where it is?"

He stared at her and then towards his second cousin who was also guarding the gate. "Oi, Akito." He called out.

"Hm?"

"I'll just show this girl to the main house, I'll be back quickly."

"Sure, sure. I'll be right here anyway."

"Follow me," he said as he told her in a commanding tone.

Once they arrived, she bowed to him in thanks for showing her the way.

"Thank you very much again, would you please tell me your name?" She asked.

"Hirohito, Uchiha Hirohito."

"Thank you, Hirohito-san."

He stifled in his laughter. "That's the third time you've said thank you to me."

"Eh?" She blinked, taken aback.

"Nevermind, just go inside."

"Y-Yes!"


End file.
